Woman, 37, enters plea, gets probation in child-sex case

Published: Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 1:05 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 1:05 p.m.

A woman who admitted having sex with a 16-year-old boy during a vulnerable time in her life will now be designated a registered sex offender.

On June 23, Stacey Lynn DeLong, 37, contacted the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and asked to speak about an incident. DeLong told Detective T.J. Watts she had sex with a 16-year-old boy because he had expressed an interest in her.

The teenager corroborated her story.

DeLong was charged with a second-degree felony, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, which makes it illegal for anyone age 24 or older to engage in sexual activity with anyone age 16 or 17.

DeLong could have gone to prison for several years. But instead she accepted a plea agreement offered by Assistant State Attorney Brad Robinson for a “downward departure” from state sentencing guidelines.

Instead of a trial, where she could have faced a prison sentence if convicted, she will serve five years of sex offender probation.

“This is an early resolution,” Assistant Public Defender Darian Wagner said in court on Thursday.

The defendant is a mother of two who received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 2002.

She received a 93-day credit for time served in jail pending resolution of the case.

The defendant cited past traumatic sexual abuse and bad relationships. “It was just a lot of emotional issues I hadn’t dealt with and I was on the wrong medication to begin with,” she said. “I just lost my mind.”

After hearing her story, Stancil decided to override the plea agreement, which had called for an adjudication of guilt. Instead, Stancil withheld adjudication, which means she has not been convicted of the crime.

“We can’t take gender into consideration,” Robinson said after the judge’s ruling. Outside the courtroom, he said although society might look more harshly upon the defendant if the gender roles in the case were reversed, the law is neutral.

<p>A woman who admitted having sex with a 16-year-old boy during a vulnerable time in her life will now be designated a registered sex offender.</p><p>On June 23, Stacey Lynn DeLong, 37, contacted the Marion County Sheriff's Office and asked to speak about an incident. DeLong told Detective T.J. Watts she had sex with a 16-year-old boy because he had expressed an interest in her.</p><p>The teenager corroborated her story.</p><p>DeLong was charged with a second-degree felony, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, which makes it illegal for anyone age 24 or older to engage in sexual activity with anyone age 16 or 17.</p><p>DeLong could have gone to prison for several years. But instead she accepted a plea agreement offered by Assistant State Attorney Brad Robinson for a “downward departure” from state sentencing guidelines.</p><p>Instead of a trial, where she could have faced a prison sentence if convicted, she will serve five years of sex offender probation.</p><p>“This is an early resolution,” Assistant Public Defender Darian Wagner said in court on Thursday.</p><p>The defendant is a mother of two who received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 2002.</p><p>She received a 93-day credit for time served in jail pending resolution of the case.</p><p>“Why did this happen?,” Circuit Judge Hale Stancil asked DeLong during the court proceeding.</p><p>The defendant cited past traumatic sexual abuse and bad relationships. “It was just a lot of emotional issues I hadn't dealt with and I was on the wrong medication to begin with,” she said. “I just lost my mind.”</p><p>After hearing her story, Stancil decided to override the plea agreement, which had called for an adjudication of guilt. Instead, Stancil withheld adjudication, which means she has not been convicted of the crime.</p><p>“We can't take gender into consideration,” Robinson said after the judge's ruling. Outside the courtroom, he said although society might look more harshly upon the defendant if the gender roles in the case were reversed, the law is neutral.</p><p><i>Contact April Warren at 867-4065 or april.warren@ocala.com.</i></p>